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Buffalo Soldiers TImeline
The Buffalo Soldiers Timeline is a list of chronological dates throughout the history of the Buffalo Soldiers. Their highlights include fighting alongside Teddy Roosevelt, charging up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War, having the first woman soldier in U.S Army history to their many other worthy achievements.
July 28, 1866
The Military Peace Establishment of the United States Act was signed by Congress to increase the size of the U.S. Army including six all-Black regiments: the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry.
Nov. 15, 1866
Cathay Williams, first woman enlisted in U.S Army, signs with the 38th Infantry of the Buffalo Soldiers.
Dec. 1867
Battle of Fort Lancaster —The first major battle Buffalo Soldiers fought as a unit. Company K of the 9th Cavalry repelled the attack of a large band of Kickapoo Native Americans and their allies.
1869
The four Infantry regiments (the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st) were reduced to two, the 24th and 25th Infantry. The 9th and 10th Calvary remained the same.
1870
The Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth regiments began their tours of duty in Texas and remained there protecting settlers and fighting Indian tribes for a decade.
June 20, 1870
Sgt. Emanuel Stance, while leading a patrol to find two kidnapped children near Fort McKavett, Texas, was the first Buffalo Soldier to receive the Medal of Honor.
1875
Seminole-Negro Scouts— Pvt. Pompey Factor, Trumpeter Isaac Payne and Sgt. John Ward—receive the Medal of Honor for rescuing their commander, Lt. John Bullis, while under fire from hostiles
June 14, 1877
Henry O. Flipper is the first Black soldier to graduate from the United States Military Academy.
June 30th 1882
Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper was dishonorably discharged from the Army on June 30, 1882, for conduct unbecoming of an officer. Ninety-four years later he was granted an honorable discharge.
1896-1897
The 25th Infantry “Bicycle Corps” took part in a test of replacing horses with bicycles. Known today as the “Iron Riders.”
April 6th 1898
The Spanish-American War begins. The four Black regiments were ordered to report to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, and Key West, Florida, in March and April of 1898.
Juy 1899
The 24th Infantry was sent to patrol Yosemite to deal with ranchers grazing their sheep and cattle herds on park land.
1903
The 9th Cavalry was assigned to patrol Yosemite, Sequoia, and General Grant national parks. Cpt. Charles Young was appointed as superintendent.
August 13, 1906
Citizens of Brownsville, TX claimed that the soldiers, of the 25th US Infantry, raided the city, resulting in property damage and local deaths. White townspeople blamed the soldiers for the incident. There was no evidence to support their claims.
November 5, 1906
President Theodore Roosevelt, who had served with Black troops in the Spanish-American War, signed Special Order No. 266, which dishonorably discharged all 167 Black soldiers from Fort Brown.
1910
The 25th Infantry is sent to help the U.S. Forest Service fight fires and evacuate towns across northern Idaho, western Montana and eastern Washington.
1916
The 10th Cavalry is assigned to General George "Black Jack" Pershing’s “Punitive Expedition” which attempted to capture Mexican rebel leader, Francisco “Pancho” Villa.
1917
The Houston riot, or Camp Logan riot, was a mutiny by 156 Black soldiers of the 24th Infantry. A total of 16 civilians and 4 soldiers were killed.
April 6 1917
America declares war on Germany. Not regulated to fighting, the 9th Cavalry was in the Philippines, the 25th Infantry was garrisoned in Hawaii and the 10th Cavalry and 24th Infantry were patrolling the Mexican border.
1945
At the end of WWII, the 24th Infantry took the surrender of the Japanese forces on the island of Aka-shima.
July 26, 1948
President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order No. 9981 putting an end to segregation in the United States Armed Forces.
1950
The 24th Infantry saw combat during the Korean War. It was one of the last segregated regiments to engage in combat.
Oct. 1, 1951
The 24th Infantry Regiment was relieved from front line duty so it could be dissolved.
1972
The men of the 25th Infantry accused of the 1906 Brownsville shootings were found innocent and their dishonorable discharges were reversed.